First Post-Annapolis Israel-PA Meeting: No Results

A meeting between Israeli and PA final-status negotiating teams in Jerusalem Wednesday made no progress, except for an agreement to meet again at the end of December.

The meeting was agreed upon during last month's Annapolis summit.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, heading the Israeli delegation, demanded that the PA take active steps to fight terrorism; she noted the roadside shooting murder three weeks ago of Ido Zoldan, as well as the increasing Kassam attacks.

The PA side, headed by Abu Ala, said that Israel must stop building in Judea and Samaria, and especially in the Har Homa neighborhood of Jerusalem. "Israel cannot simply add neighborhoods to its jurisdiction at its whim," PA representatives said.

PA terrorism continued even as the meeting was held. In southern Gaza on Wednesday, a Golani Brigade force wounded or killed a terrorist who attempted to infiltrate into Israel near Kisufim... Later in the afternoon, Arabs threw rocks at Israeli vehicles south and east of Gush Etzion, causing some damage; rocks were also thrown at a bus between Kiryat Arba and Hevron... The Karnei Shomron junction was closed to traffic for an hour because of a suspicious object...

Also today, the Supreme Court heard a plea by 30 Sderot residents demanding a speedier pace of reinforcement of buildings in the city in the face of rocket attacks. Though State representatives said the issue must be a matter for government policy, the Court ordered the State to speed up the matter. The three-judge panel - Yosef Elon, Ayala Proccacia, and Salim Jubran - ordered the government to present a progress report by January 15, "after which we will decide how to proceed with this case."